


Always Winter

by orphan_account



Series: Christmas oneshots [5]
Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Fluff, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-03-30
Updated: 2013-03-30
Packaged: 2017-12-06 23:59:24
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,713
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/741715
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Zayn hates winter. Niall is a bit like a snowflake. Zayn is not sure how he feels about this.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Always Winter

**Author's Note:**

> I’d just like to point out that I really fucking love winter, but I heard someone complain about it today in class, so I wrote this. Title from Relient K. I do not own one direction. Originally posted on my tumblr: nialleratemyovaries. Enjoy! xx

Zayn hates winter. He doesn’t just _dislike_ winter, he hates it with a burning passion. He doesn’t even like the first snow, because first snow means cold weather, dark nights and e _ven more snow._ He doesn’t like snow. It’s too bright, too wet, and too cold and it’s just another chore for him.   
  
Zayn likes Christmas. It’s the only thing Zayn has ever liked about winter. But that was before _him._  
  
~  
  
When the new neighbour first moved in town, it was the same day as the first snow. _Zayn hated him._ He was too bright, too cheerful, too pale and he reminded Zayn of winter, with his white skin and blue eyes. Zayn thought he looked a bit like a snowflake. Zayn _hated_ snowflakes.   
  
There was something about him, the way he smiled too wide when he played around with the snow, occasionally throwing a ball at his brother’s head, the way he laughed too loud as he slipped on a piece of ice, the way he rubbed his hand together to warm them up so he could stay outside longer, and Zayn hated it. Because no one liked winter that much.   
  
And yes, maybe Zayn was staring, watching him play in the snow through his frosted window each night, but it was simply to make sure he wasn’t enjoying himself that much.   
  
And each night, of course, he was proved wrong when Niall would unwillingly get home after his mother exasperated calls.   
  
So Zayn kept on staring.   
  
~  
  
He realises one day, he doesn’t stare with a constant frown on his face. He realises that he doesn’t stare at the boy because he’s mad, because he can’t comprehend how anyone would enjoy wasting his time in the cold, wet, white snow. He realises he stares because there’s something beautiful about the way his eyes light up when he catches a snowflake on his tongue, and there’s something beautiful about the way he looks and sounds hen he laughs because his brother shove him in the snow, and there’s something beautiful about the way his cheeks turn red from the cold wind blowing in his face all night. He realises he stares simply because he likes to watch the boy.   
  
“You know, you could go outside too. It’s just snow, you’re not gonna die. And you never properly introduced you to him. He’s a really sweet boy.” And that’s when Zayn realises his mom noticed too, the amount of time he sits by the window and watches outside. Not that he’s very subtle about it anyway.   
  
“I don’t want to go outside.” Zayn replies and his mom rolls her eyes.   
“Then stop watching. It’s creepy.” And Zayn mumbles something under his breath that his mom can’t quite catch but she drops the subject.   
  
Zayn keeps watching.   
  
~  
  
“Here,” his mom his standing in the lobby with a shovel in her hand and Zayn’s eyes widen in horror because _it can’t be what he’s thinking._ “Clear the driveway.” _Of course it’s what he’s thinking._ “And try to drop a smile or a ‘hi’ at the boy, yeah? Tell him your name if you feel a little wild, I don’t care. Just try to be _pleasant,_ all right?” Zayn groans for all answer and his mom shoot him a glare. “That is _not_ pleasant.”  
  
And then she’s gone, and Zayn is putting on his woolen hat and his boots and he can’t believe he’s doing this as he grabs the shovel and opens the front door _unpleasantly,_ and drags himself out. He’s immediately met with laughter and a loud ‘shut up’ in a foreign accent and he can’t believe he never realised he was Irish. He shrugs off the little snow that had already fallen on his shoulders but as some more settles down, he gives up and starts working.   
  
It’s a long and painful process because the snow is thick and heavy and it just _keeps falling_ in that moment, Zayn knows exactly why hates winter so much. He’s so caught up in his self wallowing that he doesn’t notice the patch of ice he’s stepping on and when he notices, well, it’s too late because he’s already mid-air and cursing out loud.   
  
He lands on the ground ungracefully, the snow of his shovel falling back in his face and Zayn is _fuming_ , because he’s cold, and wet and so embarrassed but he can’t get back up because there’s too much pain in his back and Zayn knows that after this, there’s nothing that can make him change his mind about winter. Winter is hell.   
  
“Holy shit, are you alright !?” Zayn closes his eyes because it _can’t_ be happening, this is a nightmare, a bad joke but when he opens his eyes and finds blue ones staring anxiously back at him, he realises just how much of a fool he’s made of himself in front of the other guy, all that because he stepped outside on a winter day.   
  
“Yeah of course,” and doesn’t come out as cold but it’s not pleasant either and Zayn tries to not make it a big deal and gain back the small amount of dignity he has left. It’s no use though because as he tries to stand up, he winces and falls back down on the ground and the still unknown boy looks very concern. It makes Zayn’s heart flutter and there’s a blush on his cheeks but if anyone asks, he’ll blame it on the cold.   
  
“Don’t move, you’ll just make it worst. I’m Niall by the way.” He says and extend his hand for Zayn to shake but when Zayn tries to move his arm to meet his hand, he finds out he can’t and Niall has the most adorable guilty look on his face. “I’m Zayn.” he says anyway.   
“Well Zayn, I might have something that would make you feel a whole lot better but we have to stand up and get to my house. Think you can manage a few steps? I’ll even help you.” Zayn finds out that when Niall is smiling like this, he can’t refuse him anything and that’s how he finds himself up on his feet, his back wrecked in pain and Niall’s arm around him.   
  
He likes to way he feels with Niall’s body pressed against his though he wished it was under other circumstances that didn’t include his back fucked up, but at least, it’s something positive in his bad luck. Or something like that.   
  
They finally make it to Niall’s and the warmth of his house makes Zayn feel already better, though he still feels like shit. Niall get his coat off at an impressive speed and helps Zayn shrug his own off.   
  
“Take off your shit and go lie on the couch. I’ll be right back.” Zayn feels a little self-conscious and winces during the process of getting rid of the piece of clothing but he manages to do as told by the time Niall is back, a little red bottle in a hand.   
  
“Get on your stomach.” Zayn lies down on the unfamiliar couch and feels the other end shifts when Niall sits down as well. “It’ll be a little cold at first but it gets better, trust me.” And it’s not in Zayn’s habits to trust a stranger but with the pain clouding his mind, he simply doesn’t care.   
  
At first, he winces because _yeah,_ it’s cold but then, Niall’s rubbing smooth circle on his skin and Zayn bites back a moan because it really feels this good. He closes his eyes and enjoys the massage, letting Niall’s magic hands take care of the pain in his back.   
  
He doesn’t know how much time has passed when he feels a hot breath on the side of his face, but it’s dark outside and the muscles in his back aren’t sore anymore. “Feeling better?” Niall whispers in his ear and Zayn’s teeth sink in his lower lip as he nods.   
  
“Yeah, way better. Thank you.” He says while sitting back up, Niall by his side. The blond hands him his shirt and Zayn slips it back on. There’s a silence and he doesn’t know what he’s supposed to do. He should probably leave but oddly, he really doesn’t want to.   
  
“You know, you didn’t have to risk your life to talk to me. A simple ‘hello’ would have been enough.” He nudges him in the ribs and Zayn blushes, even though it’s far from the truth.   
  
“I didn’t fall on _purpose_ , I’m not that stupid.” Zayn replies but he thinks it was the wrong thing to say because Niall just let out a ‘oh’ and looks down, almost disappointed.   
  
“I saw you staring.” He says then, with a smirk and _now_ Zayn blushes, embarrassed, because that is the complete, cruel truth. He still dares to steal glance in Niall’s direction and he’s surprised to see the other boy blushing as well. “That’s the reason I was always outside.”  
  
 _Zayn knew no one could love winter that much._  
  
“I mean, at first I stayed outside because I really enjoyed it but after a week or two, everyone gets sick of it. You were staring though, so I went outside everyday anyway.” He shrugs it off but the embarrassing laugh he lets out betrays him. Zayn thinks it’s the cutest thing ever so he scoots closer.   
  
“Why?” Niall smiles and looks down.   
  
“You’re good looking, and you have a pretty smile. When you watched me, it meant you were thinking of me. I was afraid, _it’s so pathetic,_ but I was afraid that if I didn’t show up, you’d stop thinking about me.”   
  
And Zayn can’t take it any longer so he leans down and kisses him, short and sweet but they break apart seconds later because they’re both laughing in the kiss.  
  
“My mom said it was creepy.” Zayn admits, his forehead locked with Niall’s. Niall giggles.  
  
“Yeah, it kind of was.” He agrees but Zayn just smiles a little wider.   
  
“Shut up.” And then he kisses him again, effectively shutting him up.   
  
And Zayn likes Niall, and his bright smile, wet lips and pale face. And Zayn still thinks he looks like a snowflake, but it doesn’t make him like winter any more in anyway.


End file.
